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#6 Reasons why the pill shouldn’t be made over-the-counter

Still unconvinced by our previous post? We have compiled a list of reasons why oral contraceptive pills should be regulated and not made available over-the-counter.

With so many oral contraceptive pills on the market and a lot of medical jargon, choosing the right pill to suit you can be confusing. Doctors are qualified to prescribe medication so why wouldn’t you go to them for the right recommendations?

No compulsory check-ups? Then to hell with screening for cervical/breast cancer, STI’s or getting a pap test! According to the National Cancer Institute itself, “A number of studies suggest that current use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) appears to slightly increase the risk of breast cancer, especially among younger women.

Because not everyone can check their own blood pressure and prevent blood clots. Despite being rare, the sudden health of a young health woman because of a blood clot can be devastating. Sadly this can happen even with the current requirement for a doctor’s prescription.

How much do you really know about IUDs and implants? The uptake of the very effective, long-acting and reversible contraceptives methods as IUDs are low in Australia. This may be an indicator that doctors are not able to spend time with women discussing all the contraceptive options available.

Already priced between $15-$283(3 month pack) do you want to pay more than what you’re already paying for the pill? Plan B (the morning after pill) became more expensive when it went over-the-counter. If that happened to the pill, it could be unaffordable for many women.

Who’s going to checkout that migraine, change in vision, hearing or motion and caution you to get off the pill?

And those are just 6 reasons why the oral contraceptive pill should only be made available with a prescription and mandatory regular health check ups.

Got more reasons? Or still unconvinced? Let us know in the comment section or sound off on our Twitter or Facebook page.